Report from Chris Smith
New Hedgehog Cull to Go Ahead
By Andrew Black, Scottish Press Association in The Scotsman, 16 th December 2003
A controversial hedgehog culling programme is to start again, an environmental body decided
today.
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has also decided to extend the spring operation from North
Uist, in the Western Isles, where it took place in the summer, to Benbecula, moving to South
Uist the following year.
SNH said it been left with no choice other than to cull the hedgehogs, which have been eating
the eggs of the protected breeding wader birds which populate the islands.
Animal welfare groups have condemned the culling as inhumane, but SNH also agreed today
to look at what protesters have been calling for, a translocation programme of moving the
hedgehogs, instead of culling them.
SNH chairman John Markland, speaking today in Perthshire where the board was meeting,
said the decision to continue the cull had been taken "with reluctance".
"These hedgehogs should not be there," he said.
"They have been moved here by man but they are causing a devastating impact on the wading
birds there, but we have decided that we must continue with the cull of hedgehogs."
Speaking on the spread of the culling zone, Mr Markland said: "We are moving from North
Uist to Benbecula because that is the direction in which the hedgehogs are moving and it's
important that we deal with those areas."
He added that SNH would undertake a scientific study looking at whether the hedgehogs
could be relocated and not killed and will be reviewing its current position this time next year.
Mr Markland added: "The reason we hadn't done that in the past is because of the scientific
evidence that was available to us.
"There is lots of evidence that hedgehogs could be moved into areas where we can show that
there is significant death rate.
"We want to mount a scientific trial to check whether those facts are correct."
Animal rights groups, such as Advocates for Animals, have continued to protest strongly
against the cull.
Mr Markland added: "This is not a popular area of public policy. Nobody would choose to
do this.
"We are being faced with a very difficult situation where this is a problem that has been
caused by man.
"We are having to give nature a helping hand to redress the situation.
"Nobody wants to do this but we feel we have been faced with a very difficult situation and
we feel we have no alternative."
© The Scotsman, 16 th December 2003
 |
 |
 |
| Return to index | Return to Exotic Scottish Animals | Return to Hedgehogs |